//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: The Journey Beyond // by Derpyditzydoobubbles //------------------------------// Riolu awoke to the shaft of sun light that glistened across his face. He reluctantly opened his eyes wide as he yawned a deep yawn of sleepiness. Twilight was right. Yesterday was a big day. Especially for him. "You awake, Spike?" Riolu yawned as he turned his head to Spike's side of the basket. Riolu stared in blankly as he gazed at the basket. Spike was gone. Riolu then looked up to where Twilight's slept and raised his eyebrow in question at who he saw on it: No one. "They must have gone downstairs." Riolu spoke to himself with a shrug of his shoulders. Riolu then softly stepped out of the basket and padded toward the stairs. "Hey, Twilight! Do you know how to cook breakfast?" Riolu shouted as he began walking downstairs. Riolu stared at the bottom floor in bewilderment as he reached the last step. It seemed that he was the only one in the house. "Is anyone here?" Riolu yelled questioningly. Riolu perked his ears up as he listened closely to the environment around him. Not a single sound came to him. Riolu then walked onward from the steps and gazed around as he neared the front door. "They must be outside." Riolu spoke out loud as he reached for the doorknob. Riolu then grabbed ahold of the knob and opened the door to come face to face with an extraordinary surprise: There was nothing but white space for miles and miles, with the sun and Twilight's library being the only things that were seeming to be in existence. "What on earth is going on here?!" Riolu shouted in confusion. "This is no earth." A voice spoke. Riolu moved his head in all directions to find where that sound came from. "Who's there?" Riolu shouted into the white space. There was no reply. Riolu then took a deep breath and made his first step into the colorless world. He could feel the ground even though there was none to be identified by his eyes. "Okay, now this just doesn't make any sense." Riolu shouted as he padded across the whiteness. The sun seemed to beat down upon Riolu even less than before as he walked around Twilight's library, hoping if he could find the owner of the voice. The sun felt weird to Riolu. He was wondering how it was the only thing up there, and if it was closer than he expected it to be. "Hope that thing stays where it is." Riolu whispered to himself. "That thing is what brings us light." The voice spoke up again. Riolu perked his ears up in attention to find the location the voice. It seemed to have come from the northern part of the void. "Hey! Is anyone out there!" Riolu shouted into the void. Silence. Riolu had now sighed in annoyance. "If they won't come to me, then I'll come to them." Riolu huffed to himself as he padded into the northern direction. Riolu trekked into the white beyond with his face staring back at the sun. Worry was now in his eyes as if it would crash down on him at any moment. Riolu took a gulp of fear as he turned his face back around and continued walking. "Where are you going?" The voice spoke again. Riolu looked up and stared in bewilderment at what he saw: A moon had seemed to have been placed in the sky along with the sun. Riolu then stood back in amazement as the sun was blocked by the moon in an eclipse, causing the light of the sun to turn the moon into an inky ball of darkness. Riolu then watched as the inky ball shimmered and faded, revealing a blue-maned blue equine that floated down softly and landed in front of Riolu. "A warm welcome to you, traveler." The equine cooed with a flutter of her wings. "Who are you?" Riolu questioned in shock. "I am princess Luna, and I am here to greet you." She answered softly. Riolu scratched his head in confusion. "You're here to greet me? What does that even mean?" Riolu asked. Luna smiled at Riolu with a sparkle in her eyes. "I am the princess of the night, whereas it is my duty to come into everyone's dreams here in Equestria. Anyone who is asleep in this realm is visited by me from time to time." She spoke boldly. "It's your duty to visit other's dreams?" Riolu asked in disbelief. "Wait, if you're here, then does that mean that I'm asleep?" "Indeed." Luna answered with a nod of her head. "Whew, that's a relief." Riolu chuckled. "Wait a second, why didn't you come last night when I was asleep at Fluttershy's cottage? "That's because I was in Fluttershy's dreams the whole night. Apparently, she was so scared of my arrival that it took me five hours to unhinge her hooves from the tree she was holding onto in fear." Luna stated with a huff. "Really?" Riolu asked. "How did you arrive?" "By doing the same thing that you just saw." Luna replied. "It's a new arrival tactic I'm working on. At least, I think it's new." An awkward silence had then followed as Riolu coughed to damper the noiseless atmosphere. "So, anything important you would like to say." Riolu asked at last. "Why, yes, Riolu. There was one thing." Luna responded in a somewhat solemn tone. Suddenly, the atmosphere had gotten colder. Riolu had now started shivering as cold chills went up his spine. "Well, what is it?" Riolu questioned. "I'm getting shivers up my spine so you might want to be qui…hey, wait a second. How do you know my…" Just then, an unusually cold and strong blast of arctic air threw Luna off balance and shoved Riolu to the ground. "What's happening?" Luna asked in bewilderment. "You don't know?" Riolu shouted over the sound of the wind. "Never have me or my sister endured a wind such as this. It feels…different." Luna yelled in a confused tone. "You have a sister?" Riolu shouted. Suddenly, the wind had picked up, causing Riolu's voice to be thrown into the strong current. "I must leave now!" Luna shouted strongly enough over the wind. "Worry not, Riolu, for this is just a dream. This current can not hurt you here, nor what might be creating it, and when you awaken, you will be fine." Riolu breathed a sigh of relief and stared in wonder as Luna faded into the moon that now rested next to the sun in the white sky, but as she leaving, Riolu noticed a gleam of light of her eyes. A gleam that reminded him of something he had seen before. "Where have I seen you?" Riolu whispered as Luna disappeared. Suddenly, the wind had picked up even more, causing Riolu's body to be lifted up and slammed back down on the floor face first. Riolu then looked up from where he was and stood in fear at what he saw: an unidentifiable creature with soulless eyes was staring down at him with hatred in it's gaze. "Dumb animal." The creature spoke in Riolu's mind. Riolu then shivered in horror as the creature lunged at him, when suddenly Riolu woke up at the last second. "What was that?" Riolu shouted as he stood up in the basket in a cold sweat. "What was what?" Spike yawned as he stood up from his side of the basket. Riolu sighed a sigh of relief at seeing Spike's face. He was now free from that horrific nightmare. "Nothing." Riolu breathed quickly. "Hey, guys! Come down here! I got a special visitor for you two!" Twilight's voice shouted from downstairs. "Let's go see what she wants, Riolu." Spike suggested as he hopped out of the basket and headed toward the stairs. Riolu looked at Twilight's bed and the ruffled sheets in curiosity. It seemed that she had gotten up early. "Might as well." Riolu whispered as he got out of the basket and followed Spike down the steps. Spike and Riolu looked toward the door of the the library as they walked down the flight of steps. Twilight had seemed to be smiling with much joy as she stood in front of the door. "You two are going to love on who decided to drop by." Twilight grinned as they approached her. "Ooh, is it Rarity?" Spike guessed. "Nope." Twilight chuckled. "Is it that party pony Pinkie Pie?" Riolu questioned. "Not even close!" Twilight smiled. "Then who is it?" Spike asked. "It's the one who taught me everything!" Twilight squealed. "She's here?" Spike gasped. "Yes! She's here, and I'm sure that she would just love to see you, Riolu!" Twilight praised. Riolu stared back at Twilight in confusion. He was unsure about what was going on. "A visitor is here? Well then, who was the one that called her over?" Riolu asked sternly. "That's the best part!" Twilight squeaked. "Nopony called her over! She sent me a letter and told me that she was coming this morning! So I got an early head start and greeted her when she got here and now she's standing right outside for me to the open the door, and I'm going to open it!" A small weight of worry was lifted off Riolu at hearing that. At least this visit wasn't intended for something about him. Suddenly, Riolu felt the pressure of Spike's claw on his shoulder as he was pushed to the ground and into a bowing position. "This is a very important somepony." Spike explained in his ear. "We need to show her respect." Riolu shrugged his shoulders and followed along with Spike and Twilight as Twilight opened the door to reveal the visitor. Riolu looked up in curiosity with his body bowing and gazed in wonder at the white, multicolored-mane equine before him. Suddenly, a shaft of sunlight hit at the face of the pony, causing her eyes to glow. The very site of which gave Riolu a shocking revelation. "Sorry it took so long, Twilight. Raising the sun took longer than usual this morning." The pony stated. "Well, her sister was easier to find then I expected." Riolu whispered to himself.